# 1964 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1964 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Secretary of State for Wales – Jim Griffiths (from 17 October)
* Archbishop of Wales – Edwin Morris, Bishop of Monmouth
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Cynan

## Events

* 9 February – The BBC launches a dedicated television service for Wales.
* March – A representative of the National Coal Board writes to Mr DCW Jones, the Merthyr Tydfil Borough and Waterworks engineer, stating that they "would not like to continue beyond the next 6/8 weeks in tipping" coal slurry on Tip No 7 at Aberfan "where it is likely to be a source of danger to Pantglas school". Two and a half years later the tip would destroy the school, killing 116 children.
* 15 March – Richard Burton marries Elizabeth Taylor (for the first time) in Montreal.
* April – George Street Bridge, Newport opens, the first cable-stayed bridge in the UK.
* 15 October – In the United Kingdom general election, Wales elects 28 Labour MPs, six Conservatives and two Liberals.
** Alan Williams becomes MP for Swansea West
** Ioan Evans becomes MP for Birmingham Yardley.
** Leslie Thomas, son of Labour stalwart, Jimmy Thomas, becomes Conservative MP for Canterbury.
* 17 October – The Welsh Office is established, under the leadership of a Secretary of State for Wales (Jim Griffiths).
* 27 October – Pembroke Refinery is officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
* 11 November – Politician Alun Gwynne Jones is raised to the peerage with the title Baron Chalfont of Llantarnam.
* date unknown
** Civic Trust for Wales formed to promote conservation and enhancement of the built environment.
** Opening of the Edgar Evans building at the Royal Navy shore establishment on Whale Island, Portsmouth.

## Arts and literature
### Awards

* Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry – R. S. Thomas
* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Swansea)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Bryn Williams
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Rhydwen Williams
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Rhiannon Davies Jones

### New books
#### English language

* Aneirin Talfan Davies – Dylan: Druid of the Broken Body
* Emrys Daniel Hughes – Sir Alec Douglas-Home
* Stead Jones – Make Room for the Jester
* Howard Spring – Winds of the Day
* Reginald Frances Treharne – The Battle of Lewes in English History
* Raymond Williams – Modern Tragedy

#### Welsh language

* John Gwilym Jones – Hanes Rhyw Gymro
* John Robert Jones – Yr Argyfwng Gwacter Ystyr
* Saunders Lewis – Merch Gwern Hywel
* Caradog Prichard – Genod yn ein Bywyd
* Thomas Ifor Rees – Illimani

### Music

* Geraint Evans stars as Falstaff at the Metropolitan Opera.

## Film

* Richard Burton stars in The Night of the Iguana.
* Siân Phillips takes her first major film role in Becket, alongside her husband Peter O'Toole and Burton.
* Victor Spinetti appears with The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night. Alun Owen's screenplay is nominated for an Academy Award.

## Broadcasting

* BBC Wales is launched.

### Welsh-language television

* Sion a Sian (later also produced in English as Mr and Mrs)

### English-language television

* Wales Today

## Sport

* Olympic Games – Lynn Davies wins the gold medal in the men's long jump.
* Rugby union
** 1 February – Wales defeat Scotland 11–3 in Cardiff. Stuart Watkins makes his international debut.
** 7 March – Wales defeat Ireland 15–6 in Dublin. John Dawes makes his international debut.
** Wales win the Five Nations Championship.
** The Welsh national side makes its first overseas tour, to South Africa.
* Tennis – Gerald Battrick wins the British and French junior championships.
* BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year – Lynn Davies

## Births

* 29 January – Anna Ryder Richardson, interior designer, television presenter and zookeeper
* 9 February – Dewi Morris, rugby player
* 4 March – Dave Colclough, poker player (died 2016
* 21 March – Ieuan Evans, rugby player
* 22 June – Neil Haddock, Welsh and British Champion super featherweight boxer
* 23 June – Robert Dickie, Welsh and British Champion boxing champion (died 2010)
* 16 August – Nigel Redman, rugby player
* 15 September – Steve Watkin, cricketer
* 8 October – Alan Knill, footballer
* 3 November – Wayne Mumford, footballer
* 28 November – Sian Williams, television presenter
* 30 November – Richard Brake, actor
* 1 December – Jo Walton, novelist and poet
* 31 December – Lowri Turner, television presenter
* date unknown
** Rhidian Brook, novelist, screenwriter and broadcaster
** Grahame Davies, poet

## Deaths

* 4 January – Arthur Wade-Evans, historian, 88
* 7 January – Cyril Davies, harmonica player, 31
* 13 February – Cliff Richards, rugby player, 62
* 14 February
** Sir Guildhaume Myrddin-Evans, civil servant, 69
** William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech, 78
* 3 March – Ieuan Williams, cricketer, 54
* 6 August – Norman Matthews, clergyman and broadcaster, 60
* 14 August – Redvers Sangoe, Light-heavyweight boxer, 28
* 26 August – Bryn Roberts, trade union leader, 67
* 14 September – Fitzroy Richard Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, anthropologist, 79
* 18 September – Juliet Rhys-Williams, writer and politician, 65
* 9 October – Thomas Jones Pierce, historian, 59
* 5 November – Owen Jones politician in Canada, 74
* 13 November – Leslie Morris, Welsh-Canadian politician, 60
* 14 November – Idwal Jones, novelist, 73
* 30 November – Sir John Cecil-Williams, lawyer and secretary of the Cymmrodorion, 72
* 4 December (in Melbourne) – James 'Tuan' Jones, Wales and British Lion rugby player, 81
* date unknown – Idloes Owen, singer, composer, and conductor, 59